Between Games, Westport Parents, Siblings Manage To Keep Busy

WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. — When Craig Knight, the father of Westport Little Leaguer Chad Knight, returned to Westport Monday night to take care of a few things at home, he stopped at a Japanese restaurant. When he sat down by the bar, the conversation around him was about Westport's success in the Little League World Series.

"There's a certain level of excitement in the town," Knight said Tuesday in Williamsport. "I wanted to come back and tell the boys about it because there's a lot of people rooting for them."

The New England champions are 2-0 in Williamsport and will play Chula Vista, Calif., (2-0) Wednesday at 8 p.m. with a berth in Saturday's U.S. championship on the line. The Westport players haven't been home in weeks, and since their arrival in Williamsport, their families have had to adjust their schedules. The Williamsport experience is a stressful, yet enjoyable once-in-a-lifetime trip for all involved.

"The parents are having a blast," Knight said. "We've followed the team and been together for three years. You get to know each other. You help each other and provide rides for each other. You're helping out with meals. It's a very cohesive group and everyone works together."

With two days between games, some parents took advantage of the layoff to return to work. Others have stayed in Pennsylvania.

"Quite frankly, many of the employers are encouraging the families, to just go," Knight said.

Knight's son Garrett, 25, works in Denver and was encouraged to fly out.

"His employer basically told him to get the hell out of the office," Knight said.

The players and coaches' are staying at living quarters called The Grove. Players can be signed out of the area to visit family, but parents and siblings aren't allowed inside.

"We haven't done too many things we wouldn't do in front of our parents but we're having a lot of fun," Westport first baseman Christopher Drbal said. "I miss my family and everything but I get to see them when they come to these games."

Drbal has chatted with the team from Brno, Czech Republic, his grandfather's hometown. Monday, Chad Knight played a game of table tennis with Japanese players.

Brian McClintock, the Little League director of media relations, said baseball is the common language.

"Regardless of language barriers or cultural differences, they all come together," he said.

The coaches have enjoyed the social aspect as well.

"We've spent some time with the other coaches and the other boys and swapped some stories," said Westport manager Tim Rogers, whose son, Drew, plays center field. "It's definitely part of the experience of being here."

On off days, the team has a dinner together. When parents aren't relaxing with their kids outside The Grove, they find things to do around the area.

"We've had a lot of down time," said Drbal's mother, Lisa. "The [kids] are pretty busy and they want to hang out with their teams so ever since we got to [New England regional in] Bristol we haven't had much time with them."

Drbal and her 17-year-old son Nick have used the free time to their advantage. They've attended the movies. Nick went to an amusement park and took a college visit to Bucknell.

"A lot of these boys have older siblings so that has worked out very nicely for Nick," Drbal said.

Not all the Westport parents are in the same hotel. Most opted to stay at the Genetti Hotel about five minutes from the stadiums. Others are staying 25 minutes away at the Comfort Inn in New Columbia, where the Little League reserved rooms.

Kevin Hlavac is there to help. Hlavac, the vice president of Westport Little League and the Staples-Westport baseball coach, serves as liaison for the team. He's talked with Fairfield American and other teams who have made the trip in recent years with the goal in mind to make sure that Westport's trip is the best possible experience for everyone involved.

"I want them to be able to savor it," he said.

The team has savored the big stage so far. With a win Wednesday that stage gets bigger.